Folder



1963 o. v. DUTRO ETAL 3,111,310

FOLDER Filed Dec. 21, 1961 IN VEN TORS. 0R V/LLE 00720 JHERMA/V fl. HEWSON 3,l 11,310 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice 3,111,310 FOLDER Grville V. Dutro, 5068 N. Commonwealth, and Sherman H. Hewson, 64f) Knight Way, both of La Canada, Calif.

Filed Dec. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 161,100 7 Claims. (Cl. 270-86) This invent-ion relates to a folder for folding an axially moving web on a fold which is parallel to its axis of movement.

Jaw-type folders are well known in the printing industry. One of their principal uses is for making a fold in a web or ribbon of paper such as newsprint. This particular type of device operates by receiving a moving web of material, and diverting its direction while providing a convergent point at its mid-section.

Numerous successful devices of this general type are well known, and are extensively used in the art. One of their principal disadvantages is their 'very great cost. They are normally made up from a number of carefully machined and highly polished parts, which are carefully assembled and adjusted relative to each other. Their cost reflects their complexity.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved jaw folder which provides results as good as 'any jaw folder in the field today, and superior to most of them. This folder can be made fora small fraction of the cost of known devices. This cost reduction is a direct consequence of the novel construction described below.

A folder according to this invention is a generally triangular structure which includes a substantially trapezoidal fold plate surface which initially receives the moving web, and which is substantially flat, with a pair of spaced-apart converging edges. A substantially trapezoidal transition nose surface is contiguous to and merges smoothly with the fold plate surface, and forms in an oblique angle therewith. It also includes a pair of converging edges. A terminal nose surface is contiguous to the transition nose surface, merges smoothly therewith and forms an oblique angle with it. The terminal nose portion terminates in a point which defines the location of the fold.

According to a feature of this invention, the convergent edges of the fold plate surface and transition nose surface are bounded by curved flanges, each flange bounding a portion of both surfaces. Flues are formed integrally within the flanges, and passages pierce the structure to communicate the outside with the fiues to form an air pad for the paper.

According to a preferred but optional feature of the invention, the fold plate surface, transition nose surface, and flanges are formed of a single sheet of plastic such as fiberglass, and the flues are formed by laying plates across the flanges and securing them in place with a layer of settable plastic.

The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevationof the presently preferred embodiment of the invention showing a portion of the environment in which it operates;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the jaw folder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary cross-sections taken at lines 44 and 55, respectively, of FIG. 2.

Jaw folder is shown in FIG. 1 in its operating position. It is supported by a bearing 11 so that it is angu-larly adjustable in the plane of FIG. 1. A bracket 12 receives one end of a turnbuckle assembly 13. Assembly 13 includes a push rod 14 that is mounted to hinge plate 15 on the jaw folder for making this angular adjustment.

A web 16 of paper or other elongated material moves avial-ly in the direction shown by arrows 17 in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is guided by rolls 18, 19 onto the top of the jaw folder. Lines 20 and 21 show the edges of the resulting folded web, which moves in a downward direction in FIG. 1 from the folder. In FIG. 2, Lines 22, 23 show the edges of the same web of paper, before being folded, moving in a downward direction in FIG. 2, and receiving the fold at fold line 24, the initial end of which is shown in FIG. 2.

The jaw folder itself is a generally triangular structure and includes a generally trapezoidal fold plate surface 3% This sunface has a pair of convergent edges 31, 32, which edges do not intersect.

The fold plate surface has a tnansition edge 33 at which it smoothly merges into a transition nose surface 34. The edge is not sharp, but is gentle. Surfaces 3t) and 34 form an oblique angle between them. The transition nose surface has converging edges 35, 36 which intersect edges 31 and 32, respectively. Edges 35, 36 do not meet in the embodiment shown.

A terminal nose surface 37 is generally triangular and is formed on a plate 3-8 which includes a flat rectangular portion by which it is screw-mounted through inserts 39 (FIG. 5) to the transition nose surface, the upper surface of the plate essentially forms a portion of the transition nose surface. The terminal nose surface is bounded by a pair of edges 40, 41, which terminates "at a point 42. This point is ordinarily slightly rounded on its upper surface but is. as pointed as it can be made without running the risk of slitting the web being folded.

A pair of curved flanges 45, 46 are contiguous to and merge smoothly with both-the fold plate surface and the transition nose surface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, they comprise turned-under edges of a unitary piece of plastic material such as fiberglass. They are both turned under in the same direction from the said surfaces (see FIG. 4). Flange 45 is shown in detail in FIG. 4, the other flange being a mirror image thereof. Flues 47, 48 are formed inside the flanges by applying plates 49, 50 therein. Each plate is simply laid across the inside of its respective flange sides. The plates are conveniently held in place by an applied layer of a settable plastic 51.

A reservoir 52 is formed beneath the transition nose surfaces by a metal channel 53, which includes an air nipple 54, the nipple serving as air supply means. The reservoir formed by the metal channel is in fluid communication the flues formed between the flanges and the plates.

Passages 55 are formed through the structure between the lines and the outer surface, principally along the flanges adjacent to the fold plate surfaces and transition nose surface. It is to be understood that the passages could also be formed in these surfaces, if desired, but ordinarily an air pad is more necessary along the flanges than on the fiat portions of the surfaces themselves, because this is the location where the web makes its change of direction and forceful contact 'with the folder. To aid in forming out the fold and to relieve pressure on the point, additional passages 56 are formed in the transition nose surface 34. These passages are disposed outside of plate 38, and are in fluid communication with the reservoir.

The terminal nose surface is formed on an inherently resilient body, which may be made of spring steel, so that the obtuse angle between the terminal nose surface and the transition nose surface is adjustable. A bracket 57 is fixed to the underside of the body, and is con- :53 nected by means of a turnbuckle assembly 58 to turnbuckle assembly 13 to make this adjustment.

Stringers 59, 60, 6 1 are attached to the side of the form or opposite the said surfaces and are held thereto by means adherent to the structure. Adhesives may be used, if desired, but the preferred technique is to apply a settable plastic over the entire bottom, covering and sealing the bot-tom along with the stringers. Stringer 59 may be formed as a box instead of a bar or rod to provide shaft support :or bearing means for hingedly mounting the jaw folder. The other stringers may simply be rods, perhaps with a half-round cross-section.

According to the presently preferredtechnique for building this device, the structure forming the fold plate surface, transition nose surface and flanges constitutes a single sheet of fiberglass, formed over a conventional die surface in a conventional manner, to the configuration shown. The plates 49, 50 and channel 53 are then laid in position. Inserts 39 are inserted in the structure. Then the entire under-surface is liberally coated with a layer of settable plastic such as an epoxy type resin, preferably including fiberglass strands. When the plastic sets, the resulting structure is a rigid, smooth device ready for use. The surfaces may be polished, if desired, but this is usually unnecessary. Thereafter, the terminal nose surface is attached by screws as shown, and the device is ready for installation, angular adjustment, and use. A

This technique of assembly and the resulting structure which enables this technique to be used creates, by means of very simple and inexpensive processes, materials, and tooling, a fully functional, unitary and simple device which is equivalent to or superior to any folder on the market today and which is considerably less expensive than any of them. There are no parts to come loose, and no expensive welds to make, as found in most conventional devices.

In the embodiment shown, the portions of the device forming the fold. plate surface, the transition nose surface, and the flanges, are fiberglass. This is an example of a plastic material suitable for the device. However, other plastics are also suitable. In general, sheet-type plastics formed to shape are more desirable, because the tooling is less expensive. However, should mold costs not be considered :too great, then pourable plastics are also suitable. The term plastic therefore relates to materials which can be softened to be worked, or which can be poured and set, but in either event, which will finally harden to form a rigid structure, at least at ordinary temperatures. This term therefore distinguishes from materials which must be assembled by means such as welding, or machined to size before assembly.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in the drawings and described in the description which is given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A folder for folding an axially moving web on a fold parallel to its axis of movement, comprising: a generally triangular structure including a fold plate surface which is substantially flat, with a pair of spaced-apart converging edges, a generally triangular and substantially flat transition nose surface contiguous to, merging smoothly with, and forming an oblique angle with, the fold plate surface at the convergent end thereof, a generally triangular terminal nosc surface contiguous to, merging smoothly with, and forming an oblique angle with, the transition nose surface on the other side thereof from the fold plate surface, the terminal nose surface tapering to a point, a curved flange member bounding each of the edges of the fold plate surface and the transition. nose surface, each flange member bounding one respective side of both the fold plate surface and the transition nose surface, both flange members curving away from the same side of the surfaces, a flue integral with both curved flanges, passages through the structure into the flues adjacent to the edges of the said fold plate surface and transition nose surface, and air supply means for supplying air to the lines, the fold plate surface, transition nose surface, flanges and lines being integrally formed and continuous, the terminal nose surface being rigidly and essentially nondefleotibly attached to the transition nose surface at its point of joinder thereto, but being inherently flexible at some region spaced therefrom thereby to enable its angle relative to the transition nose surface to be adjustably varied.

2. A folder according to claim 1 in which each flue comprises a plate inside a respective flange, and in which settable plastic seals the plates to the structure.

3. A folder according to claim 2 in which an air reservoir is disposed beneath the transition nose section, and the flu es are connected to said reservoir, and in which passages are formed from the transition nose surface to the reservoir.

4. A folder according to claim 3 in which a plurality of stringers is attached to the side of the structure opposite said surfaces to stiffen the structure.

5. A folder according to claim 4 in which the stringers are attached to the structure by means adherent to the structure. 1

6. A folder according to claim 4 in which the plates, reservoir and stringers are held to the structure by a settable plastic coating which covers themf 7. A folder according to claim 6 in which the fold plate surface, transition nose surface, and flanges, are formed on a body of plastic.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,009 Crowell May 4, 1897 1,170,209 Wood Feb. 1, 1916 2,373,441 Worthington Apr. 10, 1945 2,504,502 Crafts Apr. 18, 1950 

1. A FOLDER FOR FOLDING AN AXIALLY MOVING WEB ON A FOLD PARALLEL TO ITS AXIS OF MOVEMENT, COMPRISING: A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FOLD PLATE SURFACE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, WITH A PAIR OF SPACED-APART CONVERGING EDGES, A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR AND SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE CONTIGUOUS TO, MERGING SMOOTHLY WITH, AND FORMING AN OBLIQUE ANGLE WITH, THE FOLD PLATE SURFACE AT THE CONVERGENT END THEREOF, A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR TERMINAL NOSE SURFACE CONTIGUOUS TO, MERGING SMOOTHLY WITH, AND FORMING AN OBLIQUE ANGLE WITH, THE TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF FROM THE FOLD PLATE SURFACE, THE TERMINAL NOSE SURFACE TAPERING TO A POINT, A CURVED FLANGE MEMBER BOUNDING EACH OF THE EDGES OF THE FOLD PLATE SURFACE AND THE TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE, EACH FLANGE MEMBER BOUNDING ONE RESPECTIVE SIDE OF BOTH THE FOLD PLATE SURFACE AND THE TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE, BOTH FLANGE MEMBERS CURVING AWAY FROM THE SAME SIDE OF THE SURFACES, A FLUE INTEGRAL WITH BOTH CURVED FLANGES, PASSAGES THROUGH THE STRUCTURE INTO THE FLUES ADJACENT TO THE EDGES OF THE SAID FOLD PLATE SURFACE AND TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE, AND AIR SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FLUES, THE FOLD PLATE SURFACE, TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE, FLANGES AND FLUES BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED AND CONTINUOUS, THE TERMINAL NOSE SURFACE BEING RIGIDLY AND ESSENTIALLY NONDEFLECTIBLY ATTACHED TO THE TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE AT ITS POINT OF JOINDER THERETO, BUT BEING INHERENTLY FLEXIBLE AT SOME REGION SPACED THEREFROM THEREBY TO ENABLE ITS ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE TRANSITION NOSE SURFACE TO BE ADJUSTABLY VARIED. 